Tight race at the top

Down to the business end: Gisborne teenager Finn Vette showed his mettle under pressure to advance to the semifinals of the under-14 boys’ division of the National Scholastic Surfing Championships here yesterday. Vette produced an 8.93 ride in the last minute of his quarterfinal at Makorori’s Red Bus break to win the heat with a score of 14.43 for his two best waves. He was joined in the semis by fellow Gisborne surfer Tigher West-Hill while Manawa Ruru and Finn Johnson qualified for the u16 semis. The champs finish today. Picture by Cory/NZ Surfing Magazine

SURFING

The penultimate day of the National Scholastic Surfing Championships ended with Bay of Plenty in familiar territory atop the team points table.

The defending champions had nine of 12 surfers remaining in the event and held a slim lead over Canterbury, in second place, also with nine surfers remaining.

Wednesday started with pumping waves at Makorori Beach, Gisborne, the surf peaking mid-morning with a solid 1.5-metre swell and strong offshore winds that lasted all day.

The quarterfinals of the under-16 boys’ division rounded out the day with some excellent surfing across the four heats and honours shared across the board.

Taranaki, Gisborne, Northland and Canterbury secured valuable wins but Bay of Plenty hung on to the overall lead, thanks to Whakatane’s Jack Lee and Mt Maunganui’s Jacob Saunders, who finished second in their heats.

Canterbury surfer Myka Black top-scored for the round, with 15.03 points out of a possible 20. That followed his phenomenal performance earlier in the day, when he scored a colossal 18.83 points in his Round 2 heat.

Black, 15, needed to produce two more performances of similar quality today — the final day of competition — to help his team close the 385-point gap to the Bay of Plenty.

The u14 boys’ division had some classic battles, highlighted by a last-minute win to Gisborne’s Finn Vette, who went from third to first with an 8.93-point ride courtesy of three big backhand turns seemingly under immense pressure.

“I don’t know, I just didn’t worry,” said a nonchalant Vette, who had only one focus for the day — his heat.

“I know the break well and I knew there was a wave coming and I had to scramble, and then I pulled off a couple of good turns and got the score.

“I haven’t checked the forecast for tomorrow but I hope it is good. Our team have done well so far, with the boys doing good today and the girls doing all right yesterday. We want to carry on tomorrow so I hope the surf is good.”

Vette advanced alongside Te Kauwhata Kauwhata, who has helped keep Northland alive in the top five teams. He was joined by teammates Tom Norton, who advanced in the u18 boys’ division, and Tom Robinson, who advanced in the u16 boys’ division.

The u18 boys’ division started the day, with some big performances from the likes of No.1 and No.2 seeds Caleb Cutmore (Hamilton) and Conor McLennan (Christchurch), who both drew clean lines in the long-running right-handers.

The Coromandel team had a good morning, with three of their five surfers in the u18 boys’ division advancing. Waihi surfer Thomas Carter top-scored for the round, posting 13.83 points to advance to the quarterfinals. He was joined by teammates Jay Piper-Healion (Whitianga) and Ayrton Yarrell (Waihi Beach) in advancing.

The u18 boys’ division was to start the final day of action with the quarterfinals today.

Conditions were expected to be good for the final day, with an easing swell and offshore winds potentially turning onshore in the afternoon.

With a storm expected to carve its way across the country tomorrow afternoon, organisers decided to complete the event today.

Results from Day 3 of the National Scholastic Surfing Championships held at Red Bus, Makorori —

The penultimate day of the National Scholastic Surfing Championships ended with Bay of Plenty in familiar territory atop the team points table.

The defending champions had nine of 12 surfers remaining in the event and held a slim lead over Canterbury, in second place, also with nine surfers remaining.

Wednesday started with pumping waves at Makorori Beach, Gisborne, the surf peaking mid-morning with a solid 1.5-metre swell and strong offshore winds that lasted all day.

The quarterfinals of the under-16 boys’ division rounded out the day with some excellent surfing across the four heats and honours shared across the board.

Taranaki, Gisborne, Northland and Canterbury secured valuable wins but Bay of Plenty hung on to the overall lead, thanks to Whakatane’s Jack Lee and Mt Maunganui’s Jacob Saunders, who finished second in their heats.

Canterbury surfer Myka Black top-scored for the round, with 15.03 points out of a possible 20. That followed his phenomenal performance earlier in the day, when he scored a colossal 18.83 points in his Round 2 heat.

Black, 15, needed to produce two more performances of similar quality today — the final day of competition — to help his team close the 385-point gap to the Bay of Plenty.

The u14 boys’ division had some classic battles, highlighted by a last-minute win to Gisborne’s Finn Vette, who went from third to first with an 8.93-point ride courtesy of three big backhand turns seemingly under immense pressure.

“I don’t know, I just didn’t worry,” said a nonchalant Vette, who had only one focus for the day — his heat.

“I know the break well and I knew there was a wave coming and I had to scramble, and then I pulled off a couple of good turns and got the score.

“I haven’t checked the forecast for tomorrow but I hope it is good. Our team have done well so far, with the boys doing good today and the girls doing all right yesterday. We want to carry on tomorrow so I hope the surf is good.”

Vette advanced alongside Te Kauwhata Kauwhata, who has helped keep Northland alive in the top five teams. He was joined by teammates Tom Norton, who advanced in the u18 boys’ division, and Tom Robinson, who advanced in the u16 boys’ division.

The u18 boys’ division started the day, with some big performances from the likes of No.1 and No.2 seeds Caleb Cutmore (Hamilton) and Conor McLennan (Christchurch), who both drew clean lines in the long-running right-handers.

The Coromandel team had a good morning, with three of their five surfers in the u18 boys’ division advancing. Waihi surfer Thomas Carter top-scored for the round, posting 13.83 points to advance to the quarterfinals. He was joined by teammates Jay Piper-Healion (Whitianga) and Ayrton Yarrell (Waihi Beach) in advancing.

The u18 boys’ division was to start the final day of action with the quarterfinals today.

Conditions were expected to be good for the final day, with an easing swell and offshore winds potentially turning onshore in the afternoon.

With a storm expected to carve its way across the country tomorrow afternoon, organisers decided to complete the event today.

Results from Day 3 of the National Scholastic Surfing Championships held at Red Bus, Makorori —